The quaint little seaside village of Cintsa (or Chintsa), lies 45 kilometres north east of East London. It is the most Southern town of the Wild Coast. Most say “Sinsa, but the locals have a click sound at the beginning of the word.
This is a peaceful bit of paradise named after the Chintsa River, which means ‘river of crumbling banks’ in Xhosa. There is a beautiful stretch of long, perfect beach, one of the Wild Coast’s most spectacular lagoons, coastal sand dunes and lush, indigenous forest with excellent bird life.
Two pristine little villages lie on the banks of the river and estuary – Cintsa East, is the more developed of the two, and Cintsa West, on the south side. There are a few restaurants, a cafe and a few bars. Described as a little piece of paradise, the beach is relatively unspoilt and the sea is mostly flat with small waves, ideal for children and rock fishing. Rock pools give fun for exploring little ones. Every so often, surfing becomes exciting. The beach is split by the estuary. On the west side, there is a small beach that is fabulous for a quick dip. On the east, there is a long stretch of sandy beach that extends for some 17 kilometres … a swimmer’s paradise but as there are no life guards, watch out for the flattened stripes of sea which represent rips. Great for walks and riding. All year round, dolphins surf the waves and between July and December, whales come past. The river is lovely to canoe on. There is also a great activity centre nearby with an exciting zip line and abseiling. Last but not least, there is a great craft brewery.
Cintsa has another advantage, while quiet and unspoilt, just a 25 minute drive away is East London and we highlight some special things to do there such as sailing to watch dolphin and whales at close hand in their natural environment, a fascinating walk to the Bat Caves along one of the planet’s known prehistoric habitation sites, a fabulous art gallery and a very important museum which houses the first coelecanth, a prehistoric fish, ever recorded.
While Cintsa is a Wild Coast Resort it had a foot in 2 camps… partly the Wild Coast and partly a more southern Eastern Cape town. The mix is very special and it makes for a great holiday destination.
Some Nearby Listings
Emerald Vale Craft B..
Emerald Vale Brewing Co., Chin...
Schafli Manor****..
Schafli Manor Wild Coast, 540 ...
Gill’s Beach H..
68 Marlin Place, Chintsa East,...
